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Difference between revisions of "Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods"
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|582||The author writes: | |582||The author writes: | ||
*"The fact that plural marriage brought great sorrow to many of the women involved can hardly be denied. Heber C. Kimball once stated: 'There is a great deal of quarelling in the houses, and contending for power and authority; and the second wife is against the first wife, perhaps, in some instances' (Heber C. Kimball, January 11, 1857, JOD, vol. 4,178)", | *"The fact that plural marriage brought great sorrow to many of the women involved can hardly be denied. Heber C. Kimball once stated: 'There is a great deal of quarelling in the houses, and contending for power and authority; and the second wife is against the first wife, perhaps, in some instances' (Heber C. Kimball, January 11, 1857, JOD, vol. 4,178)", | ||
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*Jerald and Sandra Tanner, [[The Changing World of Mormonism|''The Changing World of Mormonism'']], page 226 | *Jerald and Sandra Tanner, [[The Changing World of Mormonism|''The Changing World of Mormonism'']], page 226 | ||
*The author's phrasing is identical, but is not attributed to the source. | *The author's phrasing is identical, but is not attributed to the source. | ||
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'''Commentary''' | '''Commentary''' | ||
*The author takes this quote out of context in the same manner as his source. See: [[Did early Church leaders speak of plural marriage difficulties?]] | *The author takes this quote out of context in the same manner as his source. See: [[Did early Church leaders speak of plural marriage difficulties?]] | ||
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===Other governments and religions to be destroyed from the earth?=== | ===Other governments and religions to be destroyed from the earth?=== | ||
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|xxi||"As for other governments and religions, according to Joseph Smith, they 'must eventually be destroyed from the earth'" (Footnote references ''History of the Church 5:212) | |xxi||"As for other governments and religions, according to Joseph Smith, they 'must eventually be destroyed from the earth'" (Footnote references ''History of the Church 5:212) | ||
||"Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and '''must eventually be destroyed from the earth'''." {{ea}} | ||"Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and '''must eventually be destroyed from the earth'''." {{ea}} | ||
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*History of the Church 5:212 | *History of the Church 5:212 | ||
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'''Commentary''' | '''Commentary''' | ||
*The quote has been removed from context. Notice that the author has left out the reference to Christ reigning over the earth and inserted instead a reference to "other governments and religions" being destroyed. | *The quote has been removed from context. Notice that the author has left out the reference to Christ reigning over the earth and inserted instead a reference to "other governments and religions" being destroyed. | ||
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===Joseph was a "natural speaker," yet "afraid of the people"=== | ===Joseph was a "natural speaker," yet "afraid of the people"=== | ||
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|6-7|| | |6-7|| | ||
*Nathaniel Lewis made the comment, "Joseph...is not a man of truth and veracity;...his general character in this part of the country, is that of an impostor, hypocrite and liar." | *Nathaniel Lewis made the comment, "Joseph...is not a man of truth and veracity;...his general character in this part of the country, is that of an impostor, hypocrite and liar." | ||
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*Nathaniel Lewis statement cited in Eber D. Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 267.\ | *Nathaniel Lewis statement cited in Eber D. Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 267.\ | ||
*Orasmus Turner, ''History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase''. | *Orasmus Turner, ''History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase''. | ||
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'''Commentary''' | '''Commentary''' | ||
*So, was Joseph "afraid of the people," or did he have "public speaking talent?" Lewis' testimony is suspect on a number of issues, and the author excluded the portion of the testimony that conflicted with Turner's statement. | *So, was Joseph "afraid of the people," or did he have "public speaking talent?" Lewis' testimony is suspect on a number of issues, and the author excluded the portion of the testimony that conflicted with Turner's statement. | ||
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===Odd claims=== | ===Odd claims=== | ||
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|23||"LDS documents are strangely silent about their prophet's activities during the three years immediately following his 1820 First Vision."||Why would there be an "LDS documents" dealing with Joseph's life between 1820 to 1823? The Church didn't even exist until 1830, and Joseph wrote the stories of his First Vision and Moroni's visit well after 1823. The author simply wants to dramatically set the stage to talk about [[Joseph Smith and money digging|Joseph's money digging]] activities.||None | |23||"LDS documents are strangely silent about their prophet's activities during the three years immediately following his 1820 First Vision."||Why would there be an "LDS documents" dealing with Joseph's life between 1820 to 1823? The Church didn't even exist until 1830, and Joseph wrote the stories of his First Vision and Moroni's visit well after 1823. The author simply wants to dramatically set the stage to talk about [[Joseph Smith and money digging|Joseph's money digging]] activities.||None | ||
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===Sarcasm=== | ===Sarcasm=== | ||
The author uses sarcasm to belittle LDS beliefs. | The author uses sarcasm to belittle LDS beliefs. | ||
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|23||"This messenger from the great beyond declared himself to be Moroni, a resurrected and glorified servant of the Lord (i.e. an angel)."||How about Luke 1:30, which says, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God." Would the author refer to ''this'' angel as coming from the "great beyond?" Not likely.||None | |23||"This messenger from the great beyond declared himself to be Moroni, a resurrected and glorified servant of the Lord (i.e. an angel)."||How about Luke 1:30, which says, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God." Would the author refer to ''this'' angel as coming from the "great beyond?" Not likely.||None | ||
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===Lack of research=== | ===Lack of research=== | ||
The following claims show a lack of research of the subject being discussed. | The following claims show a lack of research of the subject being discussed. | ||
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|25||"But Moroni's most urgent message, which he repeated during each visit, involved the golden plates ''buried in the hill called Cumorah, just outside the village of Manchester''. {{ea}}||The hill near Joseph's home was ''not'' called Cumorah by the angel Moroni, nor was it named Cumorah at the time that Joseph received the plates. The name ''Cumorah'' was applied later, ''as a result'' of Joseph finding the plates there.||None | |25||"But Moroni's most urgent message, which he repeated during each visit, involved the golden plates ''buried in the hill called Cumorah, just outside the village of Manchester''. {{ea}}||The hill near Joseph's home was ''not'' called Cumorah by the angel Moroni, nor was it named Cumorah at the time that Joseph received the plates. The name ''Cumorah'' was applied later, ''as a result'' of Joseph finding the plates there.||None | ||
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|25||"Obviously, if the angel in Smith's room spoke ''about'' Moroni, then he certainly could not have ''been'' Moroni.||The author is referring to Joseph's 1832 account, in which he states: "an angel of the Lord came and stood before me and it was by night and he called me by name and he said the Lord had forgiven me my sins and he revealed unto me that in the Town of Manchester Ontario County N.Y. there was plates of gold upon which there was engravings which was engraven by Maroni & his fathers the servants of the living God in ancient days and deposited by the commandments of God and kept by the power thereof and that I should go and get them."||Note that Joseph is not citing Moroni's words—he is describing a summary of the event that happened. In other words, this passage does not indicate that Moroni referred to himself in the third person. | |25||"Obviously, if the angel in Smith's room spoke ''about'' Moroni, then he certainly could not have ''been'' Moroni.||The author is referring to Joseph's 1832 account, in which he states: "an angel of the Lord came and stood before me and it was by night and he called me by name and he said the Lord had forgiven me my sins and he revealed unto me that in the Town of Manchester Ontario County N.Y. there was plates of gold upon which there was engravings which was engraven by Maroni & his fathers the servants of the living God in ancient days and deposited by the commandments of God and kept by the power thereof and that I should go and get them."||Note that Joseph is not citing Moroni's words—he is describing a summary of the event that happened. In other words, this passage does not indicate that Moroni referred to himself in the third person. | ||
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===Reversing the meaning of sources=== | ===Reversing the meaning of sources=== | ||
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|289||The author said, "According to the late BYU scholar Eugene England, Mormon women literally are to become "birth machines" so Mormon males can continue creating and populating various worlds without end."||Eugene England said, "If humans can already produce test-tube babies and clones, God has certainly found more efficient ways to produce spirit children than by turning celestial partners into mere birth machines. To anticipate such a limited, unequal role for women in eternity insults and devalues them.|| | |289||The author said, "According to the late BYU scholar Eugene England, Mormon women literally are to become "birth machines" so Mormon males can continue creating and populating various worlds without end."||Eugene England said, "If humans can already produce test-tube babies and clones, God has certainly found more efficient ways to produce spirit children than by turning celestial partners into mere birth machines. To anticipate such a limited, unequal role for women in eternity insults and devalues them.|| | ||
*The author has completely reversed the meaning of England's quote. | *The author has completely reversed the meaning of England's quote. | ||
*Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought (Winter 1987), vol. 20, no. 4, 148. | *Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought (Winter 1987), vol. 20, no. 4, 148. | ||
*For more information on this misuse of a source, see Allen L. Wyatt, [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/onug/pg298a.html Chapter 13, Unholy Matrimony LDS "Birth Machines"]. | *For more information on this misuse of a source, see Allen L. Wyatt, [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/onug/pg298a.html Chapter 13, Unholy Matrimony LDS "Birth Machines"]. | ||
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==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
===FAIR wiki articles=== | ===FAIR wiki articles=== | ||
{{SpecificAuthorsAndWorks}} | {{SpecificAuthorsAndWorks}} | ||
Revision as of 08:56, 13 December 2008
This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.
Contents
About this work
Author: Richard Abanes
- [T]o be honest, your FAIR analysis of the hardbound is actually hurting you in some very interesting ways -- and you don't even know it. Suffice it to say, I have been enjoying the many times I've had the pleasure of point out to lots of Mormons (many of them now former Mormons) where FAIR has not been completely honest, and where FAIR has shown itself to be terrifically nit-picky and petty. I thank you.
- —The author, commenting on FAIR's analysis of this work. Post to MADB, Nov. 21, 2008)
- ...what ONUG [One Nation Under Gods] did was to provide needed information to non-Momorns, evangelicals, secularists, and from what I hear, even many Mormons (many of whom, thanks to ONUG, are no longer Mormons).
- —The author, commenting on the value of his book. Post to MADB, Dec. 7, 2008]
Claims made in this work
This is an index of claims made in this work with links to corresponding responses within the FAIRwiki. An effort has been made to provide the author's original sources where possible.
Quote mining, selective quotation and distortion
- See extensive examples on FAIR website: Abanes distortions
Non-existent quotes
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 281 | Abanes quotes Brigham Young as saying "We shall pull the wool over the eyes of the American people and make them swallow Mormonism, polygamy and all." |
From Abanes' cited source, it cannot be determined that Brigham ever actually said this. |
|
Commentary
- Abanes seems to have relied on a secondary source without verifying its claim. There is no evidence in the Millennial Star that Brigham made the statement. Abanes haste to condemn the Mormons led him to repeat a false claim.
- See: Brigham Young—pulling the wool over Americans' eyes?
Unattributed quotes
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 582 | The author writes:
|
The Tanners write:
|
|
Commentary
- The author takes this quote out of context in the same manner as his source. See: Did early Church leaders speak of plural marriage difficulties?
Other governments and religions to be destroyed from the earth?
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| xxi | "As for other governments and religions, according to Joseph Smith, they 'must eventually be destroyed from the earth'" (Footnote references History of the Church 5:212) | "Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be destroyed from the earth." (emphasis added) |
|
Commentary
- The quote has been removed from context. Notice that the author has left out the reference to Christ reigning over the earth and inserted instead a reference to "other governments and religions" being destroyed.
- For further analysis of the misuse of this quote by the author, see Allen L. Wyatt, Author's Preface, About Mormon History Destroying Governments and Religions
Joseph was a "natural speaker," yet "afraid of the people"
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-7 |
|
Here is additional material from Lewis' statement in Mormonism Unvailed, p. 267:
"From my standing in the Methodist Episcopal Church, I suppose he was careful how he conducted or expressed himself before me. At one time, however, he came to my house, and asked my advice, whether he should proceed to translate the Book of Plates (referred to by Mr. Hale) or not. He said that God had commanded him to translate it, but he was afraid of the people. (emphasis added) |
|
Commentary
- So, was Joseph "afraid of the people," or did he have "public speaking talent?" Lewis' testimony is suspect on a number of issues, and the author excluded the portion of the testimony that conflicted with Turner's statement.
- Lewis is the only person that ever claimed that Joseph asked his advice regarding whether he should translate the Book of Mormon—a ridiculous assertion that is contrary to numerous other published testimonies of the event.
- See The Hurlbut affidavits—Nathaniel Lewis
Odd claims
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | "LDS documents are strangely silent about their prophet's activities during the three years immediately following his 1820 First Vision." | Why would there be an "LDS documents" dealing with Joseph's life between 1820 to 1823? The Church didn't even exist until 1830, and Joseph wrote the stories of his First Vision and Moroni's visit well after 1823. The author simply wants to dramatically set the stage to talk about Joseph's money digging activities. | None |
Sarcasm
The author uses sarcasm to belittle LDS beliefs.
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | "This messenger from the great beyond declared himself to be Moroni, a resurrected and glorified servant of the Lord (i.e. an angel)." | How about Luke 1:30, which says, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God." Would the author refer to this angel as coming from the "great beyond?" Not likely. | None |
Lack of research
The following claims show a lack of research of the subject being discussed.
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | "But Moroni's most urgent message, which he repeated during each visit, involved the golden plates buried in the hill called Cumorah, just outside the village of Manchester. (emphasis added) | The hill near Joseph's home was not called Cumorah by the angel Moroni, nor was it named Cumorah at the time that Joseph received the plates. The name Cumorah was applied later, as a result of Joseph finding the plates there. | None |
| 25 | "Obviously, if the angel in Smith's room spoke about Moroni, then he certainly could not have been Moroni. | The author is referring to Joseph's 1832 account, in which he states: "an angel of the Lord came and stood before me and it was by night and he called me by name and he said the Lord had forgiven me my sins and he revealed unto me that in the Town of Manchester Ontario County N.Y. there was plates of gold upon which there was engravings which was engraven by Maroni & his fathers the servants of the living God in ancient days and deposited by the commandments of God and kept by the power thereof and that I should go and get them." | Note that Joseph is not citing Moroni's words—he is describing a summary of the event that happened. In other words, this passage does not indicate that Moroni referred to himself in the third person. |
Reversing the meaning of sources
The following claims show how the author took a source quote and completely reversed its meaning.
| Reference | The claim... | The rest of the story... | Use of sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 289 | The author said, "According to the late BYU scholar Eugene England, Mormon women literally are to become "birth machines" so Mormon males can continue creating and populating various worlds without end." | Eugene England said, "If humans can already produce test-tube babies and clones, God has certainly found more efficient ways to produce spirit children than by turning celestial partners into mere birth machines. To anticipate such a limited, unequal role for women in eternity insults and devalues them. |
|